Predictions for every NHL team in 2026-27: Playoffs, milestones, more - ESPN

With the 2026-27 NHL season nearly here, it's time to make some bold predictions about what will and will not happen on the way to handing out the Stanley Cup.

Last season, I went 14-18 in these predictions and was quite close to breaking even. Let's see how many of these bold predictions for the NHL's 32 teams come to pass.

These educated guesses range from statistical achievements to awards predictions to coach firings to Stanley Cup playoffs prognostications. Enjoy, and welcome back, hockey!

How to watch the 2026-27 NHL season on ESPN networks — including 100 exclusive games and the out-of-market package (over 1,050 games).

Pavel Zacha regresses

Despite rampant trade rumors involving center-desperate teams taking a long look at a $4.75 million cap hit, the Bruins have held onto Zacha. Last season, that decision was rewarded with a 30-goal season, to go along with his usual defensive reliability.

Boston has several scoring forwards who could be primed for regression this season, but chief among them is Zacha. He had a 22.9% shooting percentage last season, which is higher than that of Morgan Geekie (21.5%), their 39-goal scoring winger. It's also the first time Zacha's shooting percentage was higher than 16.5% in his career.

As Geekie proved last season, just because a player's shooting percentage has an elephantine increase year-over-year doesn't guarantee regression — Geekie shot 22% and scored 33 goals two years ago. But Zacha isn't playing with David Pastrnak. He played a bunch with Casey Mittelstadt last season, a player who might also be in line for a statistical decline.

Jarmo swings a deadline blockbuster

Jarmo Kekalainen was officially hired as the Sabres' GM on Dec. 15. They went 36-9-5 after that,